Of Serpents and Large Maned Felines
by CetaceanSoul
Summary: During the final battle, Harry learns he has the power to save Snape's life, yet in so doing he irrevocably entwines their souls forever. What happens between them when the dust clears? A Snarry romance with a side of humor and fluff and a sprinkling of danger.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Come on let's say this together, the author of this work of fanfiction DOES NOT own Harry Potter. If she did, suffice it to say that it would have been written _very _differently.

A/N: FYI, this is a Snarry slash fic, just in case you were in la-la land when you clicked on it. There will be intimate homosexual encounters between Harry and Snape ahead. If you don't like it, please go away now.

~*~ Prologue ~*~

Harry could tell feel Snape's life draw to an end and watched as the older man's eyes grew distant and began to close. It was as if a shard of ice had slashed through Harry's stomach and up into his throat.

_Oh God,_ he thought, _Severus Snape doesn't deserve to die like this. God, he doesn't deserve to die at all . . . oh God please don't snuff the life of another person who's devoted themselves to protecting me. Oh please, I can't take another death on my conscious. It's not fair! It's not fucking fair!_

The freezing discomfort now permeated Harry's chest and burned his lungs. He watched in horror as Snape's chest heaved convulsively one last time . . . and suddenly his subconscious surged forward as swift as a world class Seeker grabbing the snitch at the World Cup.

No thought was involved as Harry brought his lips soundly against Snape's. And for one agonizing second he feared his delayed effort was in vain and that he was now kissing a dead man. But then he felt a faint breath tickle his nostrils, shallow but much less convulsive than the last.

He moved his lips, urging the mouth beneath his to open as well. And as he unselfconsciously deepened the kiss he breathed life into Severus Snape's body. He felt the man beneath him respond, strength gradually returning to his muscles as he drank the energy Harry offered.

Bracing his hands on either side of Snape's head, now that he'd become an active participant, Harry opened his mouth even wider allowing himself access to Snape's tongue. His tongue thrust against Snape's and Snape accepted the intrusion, his mouth locked with Harry's, his movements very gradually become stronger and more purposeful.

After a few moments, Snape was strong enough to put a gentle yet firm hand on Harry's chest.

"Potter," he said when Harry quickly broke the kiss, rocking back on his heels to regard the Potions Master. Neither said anything for several seconds.

There was something Harry had never seen before reflected in Snape's eyes: amazement. He watched as Snape raised himself into a sitting position.

"You're needed amidst the battle," he told Harry softly.

Harry stood up and backed away. "Don't die while I'm out there, please, sir?"

Severus exhaled deeply, his hand feeling the blood that had dried at his neck.

"You go kill Voldemort and I'll endeavor to keep breathing. Does that sound acceptable?"

All Harry could do was nod curtly and force himself to hurry away.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to all my readers with special thanks to Enarra for helping me correct a couple of HP Lexicon errors. : -)

What followed Harry's victory over Voldemort was a dizzying whirlwind of people talking in his face. Through sheer luck, or perhaps in answer to his earlier prayer, Harry did not recognize any of the names of those who hadn't been so fortunate to escape the battle with their lives intact.

Remus had almost cracked one of his ribs in a hug while Tonks simply smiled over Remus's shoulder. He had a feeling that Ron was a bit embarrassed when Hermione promptly launched herself into Harry's arms, clinging to him like a life preserver with her lets around his waist and arms around his neck.

Harry bit back a strangled laugh. The-boy-who-lived was going to become the-boy-who-died-of-friendly-asphyxiation if he didn't get away soon.

As he exchanged words with his friends, he scanned the massive crowd for a sign of Snape. His chest tightened when he saw no sign of the tall man.

Merlin, if saving him had been in vain and he'd died anyway…

He jumped backwards away from Ginny as she ran up to him after she could get away from her mother when he heard a very distinct voice in his head.

-_I'm in my office, Potter. I'm actually just about to open a rather expensive bottle of expensive Cabernet. __**Do**__ come find me before I get too terribly pissed._

_ …Sir?..._ Harry formed the question in his mind, uncertain of how to react to the Potion Master's words. He felt Snape sigh in his mind.

-_Really, Potter, your ineptitude at eloquence makes me wonder if your father perhaps dropped you as an infant. If you continue in such a manner under normal circumstances I would probably strangle you to death . . . only I can't do that now because my life ends when yours does. And despite our current predicament I'm in no hurry to die . . . again. So do quit doing whatever it is you're doing before I'm further beyond the hope of even the strongest anti-alcohol potion stocked in the infirmary._

Suddenly Harry's thoughts were jerked back to his present situation because Ginny suddenly kissed him desperately on the mouth.

_-Oh God,-_ Snape said, and he sounded to Harry as if he might be about to be sick. –_If you don't bodily remove yourself from Ms. Weasley this very second I'm going to change my mind about suicide, Potter._

_ …I didn't see her coming!..._Harry shouted in defense, carefully prying himself away from Ginny's embrace. _It's hardly as if I expected to hear your voice in my head!_

"Harry!" Ginny yelped, a look of questioning shock spreading across her face.

"I just . . ." he began, unsure of what to say.

_Snogged Snape inside the shrieking shack when he was about to die and ended up having the best kiss of my life with a man twice my age whom is probably your least favorite person on the planet . . . _No, that wouldn't do.

_Well Ginny, you see I hardly expected to survive my fight with Voldemort and well . . . I rather preferred to keep it a secret for years that I'm not overly fond of the female form? _He couldn't quite say something with those kinds of ramifications amongst a crowd of over three hundred people, now could he?

"I just need an hour or two of privacy, please?"

Ginny cocked her head to the side, considering him.

"What is it, Harry?"

He tensed at her look of concern. "Please, Gin, I just need some time alone." Harry glanced around, relieved to see that he was no longer the center of everyone's attention. People were talking amongst themselves, drinking conjured pints of ale, and a not a few of the adults were busy singing victory songs by the castle's Southern wall.

He walked through the groups of people, hoping against hope that Ginny wouldn't try to follow him. Glancing around once more, he slipped inside the castle, enjoying the rush of cool indoor air on his face.

His stomach was knotted in trepidation as he descended the stairs to the dungeons. He entered Snape's office without knocking, shutting the door quietly behind him. Snape sat at his desk, dressed in a white dress shirt and black pants. His hair was wet and Harry could swear he smelled an earthy cinnamon shampoo scent wafting off of the man's hair. Snape, who had been carefully spinning an empty wineglass between thumb and forefinger on the surface of his polished mahogany desk, looked up almost lazily at Harry's arrival. Harry noticed a half empty wine bottle on the desk.

Snape regarded him in silence until Harry was acutely certain that Snape knew the silence was making him uncomfortable. Snape breathed out an aggrieved exhalation. Harry stiffened as he picked up on the Potion Masters' coiled anger. He could only imagine what the man was going to say or do.

And in that moment he found Snape focusing his gaze on his and there was something impossibly faint in the depths of the man's dark eyes. Harry found himself transfixed, rooted to the spot. He swallowed hard, not daring to show any emotion as to what he was feeling. It was impossible to guess what was going on behind the Potions Masters' dark gaze.

All Harry could do was replay in his mind the kiss he had shared with the man sitting in front of him over and over. Reliving every touch, every feeling.

Something jolted his chest. Was Snape doing the same?

_Please just __**say **__something. Anything._

Snape slowly raised an eyebrow. Harry could now feel a flush of heat spreading around his neck.

"Have you any idea what you've done?" Snape asked, his voice hardly more than a whisper.

Harry instinctively knew that the answer 'I saved your life,' was not one Snape wanted to hear. He swallowed again . . . and in that moment he had a gut feeling and a startling moment of clarity as to what the answer, the _real_ answer actually was. Snape had informed him that he would die if Harry died. That in and of itself could _only _mean one thing.

"I've accidentally bound our souls together."

Snape tilted his head into a slow nod.

"It was the only option I had, sir." He added.

Snape regarded him again for another few seconds and again he barely moved his head, giving the slightest of token acknowledgements that he did not contest Harry's words.

"Let me know what I need to do to reverse it."

Snape gave him one his signature you're-such-a-fucking-idiot-Potter looks. As he looked into Snape's gaze and the silence stretched agonizingly onwards, Harry suddenly felt as he had a pound of molten lead in his stomach. Feeling suddenly disorientated, Harry reached out a hand to grip the edge of Snape's desk.

"Reversing what you've done is not possible, Potter." Snape said in silken tones.

Potter tightened his hand on the desk to keep standing. He closed his eyes to keep the room from spinning. He wanted desperately to ask if Snape was sure but knew in his innermost being that to do so would be pure stupidity.

"Believe me, _if _ there was a way to undo the magic you've created I would have told you so the exact second you walked into this room."

Harry opened his eyes, a soul-deep knowledge of understanding falling into place.

"You can sense my thoughts and actions without using Legilimency. That's how you knew Ginny kissed me."

Again a subtle nod from the Slytherin.

"What else?" Harry asked.

Snape sat back in his chair, regarding Harry with icy repose. He folded his arms, putting his hand beneath his chin. There was a glint in Snape's eyes that made Harry almost take a step backwards.

"You managed to use the strongest magic that exists." Snape said at length.

Harry narrowed his eyes in confusion. "But . . . the strongest magic comes from love . . ."

Snape recoiled at the word, but forced himself to hold Harry's gaze.

"I will not pretend to understand what enabled you to do what you did. I only know with certainty that there is only one explanation for the magnitude of power you created . . . as well as the way you chose to create it. And I don't think I have to tell you that there are three separate manifestations of that little four-letter word you mentioned, now do I?"

Harry felt his cheeks burn. He knew what Snape referred to. There were three types of love, altruistic love, love of friends and family, and erotic love. Harry didn't have to wonder which kind enabled him to save his Potions Professor. He'd felt it . . . hell he'd _tasted _it in that single kiss.

"I rather think I need a drink." Harry told Snape at length. He watched as Snape's features twitched into a smirk.

Conjuring another glass with a quick wand flick, Snape poured Harry a heavy glass of alcohol. Harry took a large swallow. He was vaguely aware that it was a very smooth and delicious vintage. At this point he would have hardly cared if it tasted like piss, as long as it made him numb.

Snape poured the rest of the bottle into his own glass. Harry watched as Snape elegantly tilted his glass and drank half the contents. He set the glass down and locked gazes with Harry. This time though, it was as if the intensity of every action in each second of their kiss was reflected back at him. Harry took another long drink from his wineglass, longer still when he began to feel a coil of heat settle within his crotch.

"A soul-bound pair of individuals experience intimacy at a heightened degree and cannot physically or mentally reach climax with any other person," said Severus, finally breaking the silence, his voice richly smooth. "Yet when they are with each other, the act itself reaches an intensity that often transcends physical reality."

Harry processed that in his mind, his hand tightening on the wineglass. His trousers were getting uncomfortably tight. His mind conjured images of Snape taking him over the desk. Snape's brows rose suddenly.

"Your entourage will have wondered where you've gone, Potter. Now is _not_ the time."

"And if I were to beg, sir?" Harry asked hoarsely.

Snape exhaled sharply.

"I beseechingly advise you do not. Your place is with them at this time."

"They don't need me anymore. I killed Voldemort."

"Yes, they do. They need you to share in their feelings . . . in their _joy _at being alive."

"Severus?" Harry asked softly.

"Yes, P—Harry?"

"How long until they won't need me anymore?"

"That I cannot answer."

Harry groaned in frustration. "How exactly am I supposed to go back out there like this?"

"I'm sure you'll find a way to manage. After all, you've succeeded at everything else thus far, I should hardly think that I would be your undoing."

Harry knew better than to argue with Severus Snape any further, even on a topic like this. He set the wineglass down and turned to leave.

"One last thing, . . ."

Harry looked back at Severus.

"If you feel you need to confide in someone about this, I can hardly deny you what will prove to become inevitable. I only ask that you refrain from spilling your guts to that damned werewolf."

"All things considered, he's probably the last person I'd tell right now."

"And by the same token, please refrain from getting totally drunk and telling everyone you know. I can only cast so many Obliviate spells at a time."

"I think I understand," Harry said allowing his lips to quirk up into a small smile. "I'd like to assert that next time you won't be able to get rid of me so easily, sir."

The Potion Master's parting words only succeeded in making Harry's physical state worse.

"Oh God, I should hope not."

And with that Harry made the decision to hasten out of the dungeons, lest his self control vanish in a puff of smoke.

A/N: Going on vacation for the next several days so the most I'll do is probably log on to read reviews. I can't tell you how much I enjoy writing this, so even though I'm not updating this weekend, rest assured the story will go on.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry was halfway across the floor of the Great Hall when one of the huge doors budged open and Hermione slipped inside.

"Ginny is asking where you went," she said, hurrying past him.

"Hermione, wait!"

"Can't right this second or else I'll have a very embarrassing accident."

She jogged in the direction of the girls' loo. Harry hung back against the wall, dropping down to sit on the floor a moment before Hermione returned.

"You're still here," she commented, eyeing him curiously as Harry looked up at her.

"I need to tell you something, Hermione. And please before you get too cross with me, try to understand things from my point of view, ok?"

"Harry what on earth could you possibly say to make me angry? Voldemort is dead." Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not as big of a deal as you think."

Harry smiled wryly. "Don't get too far ahead of yourself."

Harry patted the floor next to him and Hermione took a seat. Harry didn't say anything for several seconds.

"Seriously, Harry, say something because you're beginning to make me nervous."

"Well . . . um . . . I've been keeping a secret for three years, and the reason why I been keeping the secret is partly because I really wasn't too sure if I'd live to see my 18th birthday and partly because I didn't want public ridicule. I didn't say anything to you because there were several times where I felt I had to do what was expected of me and if I didn't at least attempt to look normal I had a very bad fear that owning up to the truth would be one hundred times worse… And now Ginny is going to kill me."

"What could you possibly say that would make Ginny want to kill you? Unless . . . Harry forgive me if I'm wrong, but are you trying to tell me you're gay?"

Harry swallowed hard and didn't try to hide the apprehension in his eyes. Hermione sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Harry, . . . some people live half their lives or more keeping their sexual preferences a secret . . . and with everything you had to deal with, I'm not surprised you kept it to yourself. After all, life never gave you a proper opportunity to come out did it?"

"No. And with my name in the paper all the time I had no desire to be known as the Queer-Boy-Who-Lived."

"That's perfectly understandable!"

"To you, at least. I'm extremely sorry for leading Ginny on."

"How can she really be upset with you for being true to yourself? Hell, you could have gone on and married her and even had a kid or two with her before telling her the truth and then she really would have had a reason for hating you. But you didn't do that, and if she has sense she has to realize that you're doing the best you can with the situation. What is there for her to be mad about? It's not like you're dumping her for another woman so she can hardly be jealous of your next partner."

Harry went oddly still at Hermione's mention of the word partner.

"There's something else I have to tell you," Harry mumbled.

A small smile played on Hermione's lips. "What, are you dating Draco Malfoy? If you are I would definitely caution you _not_ to tell Ginny."

Harry simply stared at her. "It's not Draco but oddly enough he's actually a close guess."

"Okay . . . meaning what . . . it's another Slytherin?"

Harry only gave her a subtle nod. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"My God, Harry you needn't look so terrified!"

"Actually I rather think I do," he told her, his voice trembling ever so slightly.

"Who the hell is it that you'd be so afraid of my reaction if it isn't Draco? Even if it was Draco it's hardly like I'm going to try to tell you who you can or can't have sex with!"

Harry let out a strangled exhalation at Hermione's remark.

"Besides, Harry, people can grow and change and I would think that if you were actually _with _him there would be an underlying reason that went beyond the act of sexual intercourse. You know what? Even if you wanted to _marry_ Draco, I'd still stand up for you."

"I believe we've already established the fact that it is _not _Draco."

"Right, sorry. Not Draco. Are you going to tell me or am I going to have to keep guessing?"

"I would tell you if I thought my brain could succeed in getting my mouth to say his name right now."

"Why do you think I'll be upset if I already told you that if it _was _Draco I wouldn't think any less of you? Who do you think I would think is worse than Draco?"

A muscle in Harry's cheek twitched spasmodically and a large part of him wanted to disappear into the floor. It was then that Hermione fell oddly silent.

"Harry . . . there is only one other wizard I can possibly think you would think I'd have a problem with you being in a sexual relationship with . . ."

Harry didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. At that exact second he felt like doing a bit of both. Hermione let out an unsteady sigh.

"I think I know who it is now, and I'm quite afraid to ask how precisely you came to be involved with him. But you _are_ over the age of consent so I suppose as long as nothing happened between the two of you while you were his student at Hogwarts it really is none of my business."

"It happened as a result of a set of very unusual circumstances. It's not like I planned to seduce him or anything like that. I only just let him know I was gay during the battle. He was dying Hermione, bleeding out right before my eyes and I saved his life by kissing him. It was the only way to heal his wounds."

"You saved his life by kissing him? Harry do you even realize what that means?"

"He just explained it to me."

"It means you two are perfectly matched. That type of bond can only be created by one percent of couples or less." Hermione told him giving him a wide-eyed look of awe. "You're extremely lucky to get to experience a relationship on that level. Quite frankly I'm surprised you aren't still with him."

Harry then turned an intriguing shade of red.

"He said people needed me to be part of the group tonight."

"Well tell him I said that's quite a Gryffindor worthy sacrifice."

Harry rolled his eyes. "So you won't disavow our friendship because of I'm sharing a bed with Severus Snape?"

"I'll do the same thing I said I'd do if you were with Draco, I'll be a witness at your wedding if the two of you ever decide to get married."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks for not hating me, Hermione."

"Face it, you're stuck with me forever," she said with a grin as she enveloped Harry in yet another rib cracking hug. Harry returned her affection with equal fervor, it felt good to know that he could count on her as a true friend.

The sound of the great hall doors slamming turned their attention to the entrance. A murderously angry Ginny Weasley met their gaze.

"My brothers will be fighting over each other to kill you Harry Potter!" she said venomously.

"Ginny it's really not like that!" Harry shouted

The redhead let out a disbelieving snort.

"The two of you just slipped away from the crowd to have a cozy chat about tea and biscuits then?"

"Ginny, look I was going to tell you tonight . . . the reason why I left earlier is because I need to admit to myself and to you that I'm not going to stay in the closet any longer. I'm gay. Always have been ever since I had my first kiss with Cho Chang. I'm so sorry-"

"Oh for God's sake, come off it!"

"Ginny, please, don't make this any harder than it has to be. If you want to call me a coward, call me a coward but I didn't want anyone to know I fancied men. I couldn't bear the thought of anyone finding out . . . so I hid it. From everyone. Please, you've got to understand that I wasn't intentionally trying to hurt you."

"That's the best you can do? I find you in an intimate embrace with _her_ and you try to feed me some line of shit that you really haven't been fucking each other behind my back because you suddenly decide to admit you've been a closet homosexual?"

"Hey, you didn't see me kissing her, did you? Or giving her a handjob?"

"You've been gone for well over half an hour Harry. And I haven't seen Hermione since you left. I'd say that's more than enough time to finish the act, wouldn't you?"

"Seriously?" Harry asked incredulously. "We were _hugging._ There is nothing inherently sexual about _hugging."_

"There is no need to argue when we are standing in the Great Hall of Hogwarts and the Potion Professor's office is right below us. I'm sure he has at least one vial of Veritaserum in his private stores, right Harry?" Hermione said sweetly.

_Oh I'm sure he'll love this, _Harry thought dryly. He wasn't surprised when Snape responded in his mind.

_Ms. Granger has a sound idea, to be sure, but then I could also find another way to prove to that red headed wench that you're telling the truth. Truth serum is quite expensive, you know, I would so hate to waste it._

Harry's heart skipped a beat.

_I suppose she wouldn't be able to say I was somehow immune to the potion then, would she?_

Severus laughed low in his chest within Harry's mind and the sound went straight to Harry's groin.

_This is your fault anyways, isn't it, __**sir**__? If you hadn't sent me away I wouldn't be in this mess, now would I?_

_ Let's blame Granger. _Harry could hear the smirk that he imagined was playing on the Potions Professor's lips. Harry chose to ignore the bait. Ginny glared daggers at Hermione and Harry was very glad she wasn't holding her wand. He was willing to wager a fair amount of gold that Hermione was as well.

"I doubt Professor Snape is out amongst the crowd celebrating," Hermione said pointedly. "Why don't we see if he's in the dungeons?"

Ginny rolled her eyes contemptuously.

"Even if he is down there, it's not bloody likely that he'll agree to give Harry truth serum," Ginny spat out, narrowing her gaze even more on Hermione. "Unless you're implying that he owes you one for all the sexual favors you did for him to earn your grades."

Hermione couldn't take it anymore; she burst out laughing. Harry watched her half expecting her to fall over as she leaned against the wall for support. After another half of a minute she managed to regain composure and leveled her gaze on the redhead.

"Really?" she asked, letting out one last peel of giggles. "If you really believe that of me, you really _are _stupid. And I must say you've done a bang up job hiding your obvious lack of intellect all these years."

Harry was sure that if Ginny had had her wand with her, Hermione's life would now be in grave danger.

"Look Ginny, if necessary I'll pay Snape for using the potion."

"Fine. Lead the way then. But I'm not sure I care what you say after drinking it, you could be immune to it."

"Snape can referee. I'm sure he'll be able to tell if the potion has taken affect or not."

Ginny snorted. "You say that like the man has nothing better to do with his time. What if he flat out refuses? I see your conveniently failing to bring up the fact that he hates us all."

"Well you know what? We won't know unless we try, will we?" Harry asked. He walked towards the staircase that descended into the dungeons with Ginny falling into step behind him and Hermione bringing up the rear.

Harry could only imagine the look on Ginny's face when she saw him kiss the Potions Master as erotically as possible. He hoped fervently that she wasn't hiding a camera under her robes. Even without it, he had a feeling his days of hiding behind a feigned appearance of heterosexuality in the press were over.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. I had to get minor unexpected surgery. I'm 99% better so I will update again much more quickly.


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